New HIV Opera

A new opera, featuring a script entirely derived from interviews with a young HIV positive man who contracted the virus aged just eighteen, comes to Manchester this summer. Using a radical new style of music, based on a technique called verbatim theatre, local composer Michael Betteridge sets the words of the Mancunian interviewee to music in which his story, of being diagnosed and living with the virus, is told.

Verbatim theatre involves interviewing individuals and then getting actors to perform their words as precisely as possible in order to present interesting stories to audiences which they may not otherwise hear. It is one of the first times this has been attempted with opera. As well as undertaking over five hours of interviews with his subject, who was born and grew up in Greater Manchester, Betteridge has also spoken with various other people in Manchester living with HIV, as well as the wider LGBT community, through support from local charity George House Trust.

Michael Betteridge, composer, said:

“Despite being an out gay man with many HIV positive friends, I was so clueless to so many of the facts surrounding living with the virus. I’m hoping this work will enlighten the audience about what it’s like to live with HIV in Manchester in 2016. I have been fascinated with verbatim theatre for years and always wanted to see how I could merge it with my output as a composer. I also believe this young man’s story is such a fascinating one to tell, and, as he does not want to out himself as HIV positive due to possible discrimination, this medium is a fantastic way of sharing his experiences.”

Nick Blackburn who is a long time collaborator of performance artist David Hoyle directs the project, entitled In Their Own Words, which also features work by composer Anna Braithwaite who explores living with dementia. The project is supported with funds from Arts Council England, Sound and Music’s Composer-Curator programme as well as support from Manchester Pride’s ‘Superbia’ fund that supports local arts events with LGBT and/or HIV themes.

In Their Own Words will premiere at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation in Manchester on Weds 24 th August at 6pm and 8pm. Tickets are £10 (+ 75p booking fee) and are available from www.billetto.co.uk/itow.

It then tours the UK including performances in Folkestone and London. For more information please visit www.intheirownwords.uk.

For more information please call Michael Betteridge on 07789497458 or email michaelbetteridge@hotmail.com.

Published: 17-Aug-2016: (3862)